BBC's ever-popular Masterpiece Theatre recently reintroduced television viewers to the world of Jane Austen. Presenting such classics as Persuasion, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Park and Pride and Prejudice have revived interest in that period of English history.

Not that it ever really lapsed. Worldwide there exists an almost mind-boggling collection of Jane Austen societies. They're right up there in popularity, along with membership in Bronte associations and Sherlock Holmes followers.

As a young English Literature student in prep school, I was so immersed in Dickens, Thackery and Lord Beaconsfield (Disraeli) that Jane Austen's works were neglected.

But on a short trip to southern England under guidance of the British Tourist Authority, there had been an attempt to stop at her house, now a museum of pilgrimage stature among her fans.

We'd just returned from a lengthy Far East adventure, stopping in London en route home for some R and R. A long-time friend involved in press relations for Britain had insisted on sending us out with a guide for a few days visiting some interesting sites we'd not covered on previous trips.

The guide, a pleasant woman named Beryl, obviously did this only on a very part time arrangement when some journalist arrived in town. Unfortunately she could never seem to get us to attractions before closing time. Site after site was locked up tight when we arrived, or within minutes of closing.

All of which strongly reinforced our dedication to independent travel, taking responsibility for our own itinerary and schedule, often discovering little known treasures.

Of course, if you're on a package tour arranged by your travel agent, this isn't a problem. They are very carefully choreographed so that doesn't happen.

And so it was we pulled up in front of Miss Austen's two-storey brick home in the Hampshire village of Chawton, only to find it securely locked up for the day. Help!

We walked around, circled it, peering into windows to glimpse the interior, then examining the spacious garden where she so enjoyed spending time.

Although Jane seemed very content with her life, we were certainly very disappointed that day. And next day we would be many miles away.

Later research revealed the house had originally been built as an ale-house-in around 1700. Jane and her mother and sister had spent the last seven and a half years of the writer's life there, living a quiet, simple life.

Jane's brother had inherited it under rather unusual circumstances and given it to them. We were told it was a custom of the time to allow a childless family to adopt one's second son. And so the Austen's second son, Edward, was given to a wealthy family friend, Thomas Knight. Edward became an heir, inheriting the cottage.

Although called a "cottage" it had once been converted to house three families. It's a quiet, rural area where some thatched cottages still exist.